On A Roll

A carpet roll that is!  Dave survived the grueling process of ripping up our old living room carpet.  When you have dogs no matter how well they are trained the carpets take a beating.  I've never liked carpet anyway except for the fact they do help to warm the floors in this cold northern Wisconsin climate.

In the summer with the humid weather  my sensitive nose picks up smells from wood stove smoke, cooking, past dog accidents, etc. in the house.  I have been blaming the carpet for a number of years. 

We finally both agreed it was time. Out with the old carpet and in with we are not quite sure what yet. We are leaning towards one of the new wood laminates.   I need to pick something out soon!

A couple of days ago a local museum called to ask if I'd be interested in doing a hooked rug demonstration at their upcoming Pioneer Days.  I said yes.  They have local crafters doing spinning, weaving, etc and thought I'd fit in nicely with my rug hooking. It's  July 9th and 10th at the Pioneer Village Museum. Dave will be shooting photos for me!   I couldn't pass up the opportunity for some great blog fodder!

So I better get my body shaking and get something thrown together quick!  Do you work well under pressure?  It's the only way I actually do work I think!

Cathy G

Bagging a Bag

I put the pedal to the metal and finished the round antique flag mat.  I think I will call it Olde Glory.  Yes, I even finished binding it!   It's only 10 inches across so I guess that isn't a big deal.  But at least it's done! 




I bagged this Fossil summer bag at Goodwill the other day for six dollars!  It has lots of room for all my "stuff".   Do you like it?   Or is it kind of old lady looking?   Then, when do we care about such things... us old ladies!  ( a fossil carrying a Fossil.... how funny is that!)  

 Here's Dave behind a pie safe in the living room.  Now what could he be up to?  To be continued........
Cathy G

A Muse Returns

What could be better on a Father's Day to see dog daddy Dave at work painting the garage door?

And Momma at work creating on the computer and starting a new mat.  Survived the cycle of bad moon affects and soon afterward the muse, who took a side trip to no where land ......  found her way back to me.   It's about time as June wanes and July  waits in the wings.  Are you feeling the red white and blue?  Rug hookers don't take it that literally. White can be green, gray or taupe..... even gold.  Kind of reminds one of the Civil War.



Cathy G

A Full Moon

Two posts in one day! That is a first and very unusual for me.  I'm blaming it on the moon which is 99.9(waxing gibbous) percent full tonight.  I'm blaming the strange  and sluggish feeling I had all day and really for most of this past week on the moon.

Scientists will vouch for me when I talk about the  strange effects the full moon has on some people.  Might I be one of those?  Some research has been done on this subject.  If I dared or cared to keep track of my feelings of undecidedness, the strong pull to create yet the desire to pull the covers over my head instead maybe there would actually be some correlation to the gravitational pull of the moon. 

Todays earlier post left you in the dark as to which I decided to spend this sunny, gorgeous day doing.  After my usual morning of feeding dogs, medicating dogs, showering, doing a quick post, washing a load of dirty cleaning rags, hosing off the deck of the thick pollen dusting we are experiencing here, washing a few windows...... and sitting on the deck trying to decide what to do..... I took a cat nap. 

Will I EVER get back to my work in the studio?  

Cathy G

TORN

It is a gorgeous day here today. 70 degrees.  The mosquitoes have taken the day off!  There's a nice breeze!

I'm torn between this....... 



Or this.

Any guesses as to which I choose?
Cathy G

A UFO From Long Ago

Thanks to the cold, drippy, dreary weather today I woke with another sinus headache.  So I decided to do a post while the medication I took a while ago kicks in.  It's too cold and wet to dig in the gardens today.  

Just one of those days when I feel like digging through some old fabrics I have packed away. When I found this unfinished quilt it got me to thinking about Unfinished Projects.  Better known to quilters, rug hookers and crafters as UFO's!  Yes, the darn things!  We all have them!  The thing that has my mind all in a tizzie today ( besides the headache)  is the thought that this phenomenon has been passed to us from generations before. 

I have proof!  These lovely old unfinished squares from an applique butterfly quilt were started by my GREAT Grandmother Minnie Eggen.  My Mom's Grandma!  She died when I was nine years old. She lived near us and we visited her quite often. She was a quilter, crocheted, tatted, embroidered and knitted.  She had flowers growing around her house and was known to love the Angel Plant.

Her hands were always holding a needle work project except for when she stopped to put a lunch on the table when we visited. I remember the lemon jelly roll with the dusting of powdered sugar. 

This apron reminds me of her so.  Her Scandinavian roots had to have influenced her liking to these crisp flowered flour bag prints from the 30's and 40's.  Well, she got so far as to cut out lots of butterflies and the muslin squares.  Even a few are embroidered with black floss. 








The question of the day is should I finish this quilt?  I do know how.  That's not the problem. I have a few UFO's that need my attention..... but maybe it's my duty to finish up my Great Grandmother's UFO's and leave my own for the next generation to finish.  That's my aha moment for today.




In all fairness to Great Grandma Minnie I have to show you a crocheted bedspread that she finished! My Grandmother, Minnie's daughter Gladys, gave this to us for our wedding gift.  Minnie crocheted it and it remained folded until she died. My Grandmother kept it folded and it was never displayed on a bed. I hate to tell you this but it usually is folded and stored in my bedroom closet and only taken out to show a visitor now and then.  You are seeing a rare glimpse of it taken out and displayed on the bed in my studio for the photo.  Sad isn't it.  It doesn't fit with my decor and I have dogs who would get tangled in the open holes of the crochet work.  But I dearly love it. I love having something that I can touch knowing her hands were touching every inch of that crochet thread while she made it.  I'm glad she finished it.  That it was not the UFO that was left for a great granddaughter to contend with.

Cathy G

103 to 66

Things are a little backwards concerning the weather here in Northern WI.  But I've never seen it quite this backwards folks!
Tuesday the thermometer hit 103 degrees.  Today it is 60 degrees with a COLD wind blowing.   Taking photos in the garden this morning caught me wearing a lightweight wool scarf with capri's and a jacket.
Not complaining...... just explaining.  Trying to remain calm and taking a brisk stroll through the gardens this morning felt energizing!
( or could be my brain just coming to life again after such extreme temperature changes.)










An old bowling ball planted amidst the ornamental cabbage.



Resident alligator guards the hen and chicks in the rock garden from two boy dogs who like to water them.






A  hanging gazing ball I snagged at a garage sale for two bucks along with the angel garden statue in the first picture also two bucks.



This rusty old cast iron finial has taken root in the herb garden. It's one of the old treasures I acquired from my past days as a junkmonger.  


Still an old junkmonger at heart I can't resist taking old stuff like these chairs that were free and the little wire stand ( two bucks)  and giving them new life.  They were a dark green before spray painting them this cool color (Krylon's Ivy Leaf).  I like them better now.
So... we are planting and weeding. Sweating and freezing.  Hoping your Spring/Summer is equally pleasing!
Cathy G 

Things of Pinterest

Lately I have been hearing a lot about a place online called Pinterest. It's like your own






personal online bulletin board where you find things of interest and pin it. Here are a few






photos of things I've found interesting. You can click on the photos and thanks to Pinterest it






carries the information along with the photo automatically.   










I like the idea of using a picnic table




indoors 




( if I only had the room!)

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Viola on Pinterest

How about making a giant pot holder rug?!!  

Source: designmom.com via Cathy on Pinterest

Make a Blue Berry Smoothie!  Simple and Nutritious!

Source: oprah.com via Cathy on Pinterest

Source: freshhomeideas.com via Cathy on Pinterest

Make this chicken wire and rock wall decor!  Unique  ( you know how we all love our rocks!)

If you get a chance to check out Pinterest.Com I'd love to know what you think about it! 




Better than the magazines these days in my opinion and free!




                                                Cathy G